Sean Payton appears to have his work cut out for him with the 2024 Denver Broncos.
Payton enters Year 2 of his regime after a modest 8-9 start to his first year as head coach. However, with several key players such as Justin Simmons and Russell Simmons gone, Touchdown Wire’s Natalie Miller thinks that the Broncos may take a significant step back, especially with uncertainty at quarterback.
Wilson’s departure allowed Payton to draft Bo Nix and trade for Zach Wilson beforehand. But with two unproven quarterbacks potentially at the helm, could that halt the Bronco’s progress? Miller thinks the lack of star power behind the center won’t help.
“This Broncos team has a lot to prove with not a ton of star power outside of Patrick Surtain and Garett Bolles,” Miller wrote. “Whoever wins the quarterback battle will need to fully embrace the Sean Payton system in order to overcome the talent gap in the rest of the AFC West.
“Defensively, this team should still field a respectable unit. If this team cannot get good quarterback play over one of their new signal callers, it could be a long season for everyone in Denver.”
Miller’s season preview ended with a 5-12 record prediction for the Broncos. To read Miller’s full breakdown, visit Touchdown Wire.